Coming Home Magazine

Before gourmet chocolates and commercial gummies, there were simple confections tucked into lunchboxes, traded on playgrounds, and stashed in Grandma's candy dish. Every bite of these old-school treats transports us to more innocent days, with sticky fingers and carefree afternoons. Let's take a sentimental stroll down Sweet Street and unwrap our favorite golden-era goodies still found on shelves today. Classic candies that still hit the sweet spot. Jelly Beans (1861) Long before anyone "tasted the rainbow," jelly beans were satisfying sweet tooths. Based on the ancient Near Eastern dessert, Turkish Delight, they first appeared in an 1861 newspaper ad by Boston confectioner William Schrafft, who encouraged readers to send them to Civil War soldiers as a morale booster. By the 1930s, the egg-shaped candies had become a staple, thanks to their sugary shell and soft centers. President Reagan famously kept a jar on his desk, but the 1976 launch of Jelly Belly—with its novelty flavors like "Buttered Popcorn" and "Toasted Marshmallow"—made jelly beans a pop-culture sensation. Tootsie Roll (1896) A gooey chocolate classic, the Tootsie Roll was created in 1896 by Austrian immigrant Leo Hirschfield and named after his daughter, Clara, or "Tootsie." It was the first penny candy to be individually wrapped, and its unique texture (somewhere between caramel and taffy) made it remarkably melt-proof. Durable and travel friendly, it landed a spot in WWII soldier rations. Now, with its nostalgic wax wrapper and unmistakable flavor, the Tootsie Roll is steadfast, filling trick-or-treat bags and stuffing piñatas year after year. 32 COMING HOME MAGAZINE

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